Not just another Mark of Athena story
by iamamedicaldoctor
Summary: My vision of Mark of Athena    "This feels wrong." I announced.    "The Toga?" Frank asked.    "Yes. I shouldn't be wearing Jason's toga." I squirmed, my hands itching to tug the fabric off my body.
1. Chapter I: Itchy Purple cotton

Annabeth's POV

"This is Flaming Leo Valdez, Supreme commander of this fine vessel. We will be landing at our destination in approximately fifteen minutes. Jason if you could join me in the bridge ASAP that would be good. Oh and Annabeth stop strutting around the deck like that your scaring people. That's all folks. See you on the Quarter deck in fifteen." I was so deep in thought I didn't register Leo's announcement in till it was nearly over. That boy as too much power than is good for him.

My grey cloak flowed in the wind like a flag. I radiated power, and I have to admit it felt good. I was dressed in full body armour. My armour was gold, marking me out as captain of this small but powerful demi-god army. Unfortunately it makes me stick out like a sore thumb as everyone else's armour is made out of celestial bronze.

It wasn't my idea. Ask commander. My arms were folded and my lips were pursed as I stormed up and down the deck, deep in thought. I continued to ask myself the million dollar question _'Does he remember me?'_

I knew he probably did on some level. Guessing by how much Jason has remembered I could calculate roughly how much Percy might remember. Jason remembers certain names and faces and sometimes the odd few seconds of a memory.

Still this sort of thing is unpredictable, who knows what Hera has allowed Percy to remember. She'd let him remember me…right? But then again she has always kind of hated me since I told her off a few years back and I'm not exactly her biggest fan either. What if Percy doesn't remember anything? What if he doesn't even remember his own name? No. Even when Jason first woke up he knew his own name.

A few of my curls had come loose from my plait and I twisted them round my fingers. I tried to harness my thoughts. I let out the breath I'd been holding. _"What's going to happen is going to happen Wise __G__irl, you don't always have to overthink everything."_ A certain green eyed boy's voice echoed through my mind.

In the eight months he'd been gone my mind had adapted to deal with it, it had developed a way of playing to me the sarcastic comments and cheesy phrases he might of used had he been there. It's one of the reasons I'm still sane, or the reason I'm not. Does a crazy person know their crazy? My mom would say that it's only the sane that question their sanity.

I leant against the foremast and felt the wind push against me. I walked right up to the bowsprit and let the breeze ripple across my skin. I slipped the hair tie out my hair so my golden curls flew out behind me. I put my hands out in front of me and felt the metallic coolness of the railings in my palms. I was stood like that girl Rose out of the film Titanic, now all I need was my Jack. Percy. Someone was stood beside me but it wasn't him.

"Hey, are you doing ok?" Piper leant against the railing.

"Would you be doing ok in my position?" I said simply as I continued to stare at the horizon.

"No, I wouldn't…I'm not" She said.

I shot her a look "What?"

"Pining after a guy that doesn't remember all the stuff we remember. That's kind of something we have in common huh?" The words caught in her throat. Piper gave me a sad smile as a fat tear formed in her eye. I watched as it teetered on her bottom eyelid and finally fell off. It tumbled down her cheek and she wiped it away just before it dripped off her chin.

My heart suddenly overflowed with compassion. I pulled her toward me and enveloped her in a hug. I suddenly realised this girl had it way worse. At least my memories of Percy are real. At least I know Percy doesn't have a secret past I don't know anything about. She had thought she knew Jason only to discover she didn't even know his last name.

"Shhh, don't worry. He'd blind not to notice you Piper. It took Percy four years to finally ask me out and Jason is way more intuitive about girls than Percy ever was. Just give it some time." I said softly.

She pulled away. Her eyes were blood shot "I'm sorry. You've got your own problems. I'll go." She made to leave.

"No Piper it's fine. Stay" I begged "Please."

She nodded "Ok"

Percy's POV

"Stop fidgeting dumbass or we'll never get this straight." Hazel scolded me for what seemed like millionth time. She was knelt on the floor trying to straighten my crumpled toga.

"Sorry." I said, and I meant it.

"You ok Perce; you're sweating like a pig." Frank asked. He was stood in front of with his arms crossed.

"Yer, I'm fine." I took a deep breath and wiped my forehead; he was right. I was sweating really badly.

"Ok, you're good." Hazel stood up, a satisfied expression on her face.

I turned to look in the floor length mirror behind me. I scrunched up my nose. This thing just doesn't look right on me. It's supposed to skim across the ground but because it was made for their last praetor; Jason Grace. So it hangs at about ankle height. That's right folks, I know that he's about an inch shorter than me but about anything else about him I don't have a clue. But it's not just the length of it that feels wrong. It's the fact that I know I shouldn't be wearing a Toga at all.

"This feels wrong." I announced.

"The Toga?" Frank asked.

"Yes. I shouldn't be wearing Jason's toga. I should be wearing my armour. Celestial bronze and leather not cotton. It just feels so weird." I squirmed, my hands itching to tug the fabric off my body.

"It's just for today." Hazel sighed understandingly and squeezed my shoulder to comfort me.

"When's the ship landing?" I said.

"They should land soon." He peeked out the door to watch the hovering battleship "It's taking ages."

"Let's go." I lead them out and made my way to the field were the ship would be landing. I was sweating really badly again. I controlled my breathing. In…, out… In…, out…

The ship now hung about two stories above the ground. It continued to swoop in steadily.

"For god's sake do something. You're letting graceus heroes into our camp. Are you insane? Shoot them down." Octavian preached to an impassive Reyna. Reyna rolled her eyes.

"Psh, shut your trap Octavian or I'll shoot you down." thundered Gwen. She still suspects Octavian of being the person who killed her. She's alive now though…obviously.

I could see about seven human figures in Greek battle armour. Once again my skin itched to tear off the offensive purple robe. I took comfort in fiddling with the bead and leather necklace around my neck. The figures were stood at the front of the ship, the quarter deck. It really was a beautiful ship but I was more interested in its passengers.

"She's amazing." Hazel said. She was talking about the ship but I was busy staring into the grey, chaos filled eyes of the person I, for the last eight months could only dream about. She was wearing golden armour, to mark her rank I guess. Her curls hung long and loose over her left shoulder.

"She sure is." I smiled. And not breaking eye contact with Annabeth, I brought my hand to my chest and tapped it twice just above my heart before holding that same hand out to her as if to say _'It's still yours if you want it.'_

Annabeth smiled and held her hand to her chest _'It always was."_


	2. Chapter 2: Bright light

"Is that Annabeth?" Frank asked. He had seen me staring. Frank, Hazel and I were stood at the front of a huge crowd that covered most of this side of the hill. Annabeth was talking urgently to a curly-haired Hispanic boy, who I knew was Leo, that kid from the parchment video thing.

"Yes. That's her, the bossy blonde one." I breathed smiling. I was still drinking in the fact Annabeth was finally here. This was it, one of the best days of my life.

"She's gorgeous Percy." Hazel said.

"And so much more." I ran a hand through my hair.

"How long have you been together?" Frank asked.

"I slept through our sixth month anniversary, I can tell you that." I chuckled nervously. When really I was thinking, _'Gods she's going to kill me'. _

Hazel then got straight to the point "Are you in love with her?"

"I…well…Yes." I said hesitantly. I'd never told anyone that I loved Annabeth before.

"Does she…?" Hazel starts.

"Yes, she knows." I said. Hazel nodded understandingly.

The ship was only a few meters off the ground now. I watched as it hesitated for a second and sped up crashing into the ground, sending muck flying. It skidded a few meters before coming to a stop. A lot of the Romans were laughing. I just wanted to see all my old friends. I had to resist the urge to climb up the side of the boat.

All the Greeks had fallen over in the crash. Leo, who had been the one by the wheel, and therefore the one driving, was the first to pop back up. He threw his hands up in the air "Woo Hoo. THAT is how you land a Greek battleship." I decided I liked Leo. I was watching Leo when he suddenly dropped back down out of sight. A pretty girl with dark colouring and a hot pink cloak over her bronze armour, a daughter of Aphrodite, jumped up where Leo had been standing, looking very pleased with herself. She had tripped Leo over. Leo appeared once again scowling at the laughing girl. Due to the fact she was teasing Leo (just like the girl in the parchment video) and the fact she was the only female Greek I didn't recognise. I concluded that that was Piper.

The gangplank was lowered and the Greeks filed out. They were all wearing their orange camp-half blood shirts under their bronze armour. I saw Connor and Travis, Katie, Will and Pollux. I was grinning now. Believe it or not I was even pleased to see Clarisse. They all had their helmets on but I knew them well enough to tell who they were. Then I realised that these were all the head councillors.

Their cloaks were all the colours of their cabins. Will solace's was gold. Katie's was tree green. Connor and Travis's were bright white (I don't get that one since white is supposed to be the colour of purity). Pollux's was grape purple. Clarisse's was blood red. Leo's was the colour of dark brick, marking him out as a son of Hephaestus; I would never have guessed he was. He's nothing like Beckendorf.

Anyway, Piper, the girl in the hot pink cloak was obviously the Aphrodite representative. There was also a guy about my age in an electric blue cloak, but he couldn't be a son of Zeus, impossible!

I was then distracted, because of course Annabeth made quite an entrance. She emerged from the ranks of her army gleaming in her polished gold armour. It was obviously very new and had taken an awful lot of work. It had been crafted to fit every curve of her body so that it would be very hard for an enemy to find a weak spot. The leather pleats that formed a sort of skirt finished halfway down her thigh. If anyone could look like a goddess in battle armour, it was Annabeth.

Annabeth removed her helmet causing her golden ringlets to tumble past her shoulders. The rest of the Greeks took this as their cue to take theirs off, although a couple of them didn't look too happy about it. I looked round at the Romans, they were entranced. I heard a few gasps and mutterings. A few people pointed at the blonde guy. He showed them no recognition.

Annabeth caught my eye. Everyone on the Greek side was watching us. I felt someone nudge me in the back, giving me the little push I needed to start walking. It was probably Hazel. Annabeth started to move forward as well.

"Percy, wait." Reyna ordered. But I was oblivious.

Octavian saw an opportunity "See he's a traitor, why did you trust him. I say we…"

"Shut up." Gwen screeched.

I walk slowly up to Annabeth holding out my hand to take hers. Her hand felt so small in mine. I slid my hand slowly up her arm to her shoulder. There was silence from both sides. I slid my hand down to the small of her back and pulled her against me. Her hands cradled my face. I brought my head down so our foreheads were touching. Wrapping both my arms around her I kissed her bottom lip softly and she kissed me back. I could hear my Greek friends whooping and wolf-whistling and the Romans gasping and muttering. But I was home. I knew as long as Annabeth was with me I could fight whatever the fates threw at me. The kiss was finished far too quickly for my liking but there would be time for plenty more later on.

"Miss me Wise girl?" I said softly my eyes still closed.

"Not a bit Seaweed brain." She said. Her voice was exactly how I remembered it. Strong but sweet.

There were a few laughs from the Roman side at my nickname. "Seaweed brain? I can see that." Reyna laughed breaking the tension and bringing me back to reality.

"I'm guessing you're Reyna, the praetor?" Annabeth drew away but kept hold of my hand.

"Yes." Reyna nodded, going serious again.

"There's a lot we have to say, could we perhaps go somewhere more private." Annabeth said.

"Yes, we'll use the senate. I'll leave Percy with you so that he may see all his old friends. I give your Greeks permission to enter camp, but remember you are outnumbered so if you start something…"

I started to feel unnaturally warm; I could feel the heat rising up inside of me. I was getting hotter. Annabeth felt it to and snatched her hand away.

"Percy, you're glowing." Annabeth's eyes were wide. I looked down. She was right, I was glowing gold.

"This is going to ruin my whole day." I gulped. I could imagine it now _'__N__o heroic ending for Percy. How did he die again? Oh he boiled from the inside out.'_ The heat had stop rising. I closed my eyes. I could feel the power building up inside of me. I felt myself explode. I looked down to see my body shoot out beams of light so bright it looked white. I saw Annabeth's face. Then it was over. My skin was raw and tender. I had fell to the ground at some point during it and now staggered back up and fell into Frank who held me up. Everyone was looking at me terrified.

"What was that?" I croaked.

"I don't know man." Frank looked freaked out "But you're still alive so be grateful." He set me back on my feet.

"Percy, what just happened? Has this happened before?" Annabeth said franticly.

I remembered the last time something like that happened to me…I uncapped riptide and brought the blade to my palm. Annabeth saw what I was doing and didn't seem to understand. I pressed the edge of the blade to my skin and drew it toward me. I braced myself for the pain…Nothing. Riptide hadn't made a dent; it would have done more damage to rock.

"Why are you testing that?" Annabeth asked.

"Because I lost my curse when I came here, now all of a sudden it's back." I locked eyes with her.

My friends rushed to me "Perce, are you okay?" Travis asked worriedly. I smiled and pulled him in for a hug. I saw Connor and tugged him in as well.

"Missed you too dude." They said in unison.

They both tensed "Um…dude?" Connor said.

"Yer?" I asked "Oh…right." The Stolls pulled away.

Travis cracked up "Perce, what on earth are you wearing?"

I was about to come back at them when I felt someone touch my arm "Don't worry we brought you're armour. But first we need to introduce you to someone."

"Ok but there's something I have to do first." I said. I looked around grinning at all my old friends. Every guy has a gay moment at least once in their lives. I guess this is mine "Group hug." I called out. I pulled in Annabeth and Travis in first as they were closest to me. Connor shrugged and wrapped his arms round us. Everyone followed his lead but Clarisse, Leo and Piper. I couldn't see the blonde boy anywhere. "Come on, you two newbies, Leo and Piper, get in here. That's an order." I said.

They saluted jokily with a chorus of "Yes sir." and threw their arms around the bundle of demi-gods.

"Come on Clarisse you know you want to." Travis teased. She shook her head.

"She can't…" Connor said "…she'll give us her diseases." The Stoll brothers chuckled and high-fived each other.

I broke out of the group hug and walked up to Clarisse. Holding out my hand I nodded for her to take it. She did and I pulled her in and gave her a few slaps on the back "I may dislike you most of the time but I'm glad to have you on my side." She pulled away.

"Only because I'd thrash your ass if I was on the other side Punk." She spat and sent me a cruel smile.

"Yep, that as well." I admitted.

"So, who did you want me to meet?" I asked Annabeth who had been watching Clarisse and me with an amused expression.

She took my hand and led me over to the blonde guy in the electric blue cloak "Percy Jackson meet Jason Grace. Jason Grace meet Percy Jackson. I had one thought and that was _'OH'_.


	3. Chapter 3: I've got your back

**Sorry for the long wait I forgot I left this story on a cliff-hanger, thanks for reminding me mitch2001liu :D**

"So you're the one and only Percy Jackson." Jason held out his hand and I took it.

"And you're the infamous Jason Grace." I smiled.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah, What?" I said. She leant in to whisper in my ear.

"You basically just called Jason evil." She said distastefully.

"Oh…so that's what infamous means." I turned back to Jason "Well in that case I take back the three first let…." Annabeth interrupted.

"Two." she whispered.

"…Two first letters." I finished. Jason nodded weakly.

I screech rang out from our left and we heard the chant of "FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT….." I saw a flash of bronze and orange in the middle of a ring of purple shirted Romans. I have a feeling this whole 'working as one' thing is going to be easier said than done.

Annabeth sighed "I better go break that up."

"Do you want me to…?"

"No, you stay here." She ordered before kissing my cheek and sprinting off.

"So…" I said a little awkwardly. I dug at the ground with my foot.

"So?" Jason scratched his head. Silence.

"Hey, so you defeated Krios and destroyed Kronus's throne." I said breaking the tension a little.

"Yeah." He said a little too cheerfully. Even more silence."And you killed Kronus…and Hyperion." Jason fell over his words as he said them.

I sighed "Why is this so awkward?" I asked plainly.

Jason looked pleased that I had got straight to the point "I'm not sure." He said quickly, shrugging "Maybe because we stole eight months of each other lives."

"Well that's just stupid; it was Hera who did this." I crossed my arms.

"Juno."

"Whatever." I shot at him "So are we good?" I held out my hand to Jason.

"Yeah, sure." He took it "All I've heard are great things about you Percy, those guys really love you."

"Ditto, seriously as soon as I got here all I could here was people talking about you." I said.

"I hope we can be friends." Jason grinned.

"Amen to that." I nodded. We shook hands "Now let's go get a war council." I said in a fake cheerful voice.

"I've got your back Captain." Jason laughed.


	4. Chapter 4: Do Not Underestimate Us

**Annabeth's POV**

You could have cut the tension in the air with my knife as we took our seats in the Senate. The Romans (many of them still eyeing us warily as if the expected us to turn on them at any minute) sat on the opposite side of the senate. Their side heavily outweighed our side. No one was speaking except the Praetor … Reyna. She seemed to be in a deep and whispered argument with a scrawny boy with straw-like hair who was clutching a fluffy toy horse, which seemed to have its stuffing spilling out. He was shaking it in her face.

I seemed to be the only Greek who was worried. Our, oh so amazing supreme commander, Leo, was attempting to get something out of teeth with a screwdriver. And I rolled my eyes at the Stoll brothers; they were playing The Pain Game, which is basically extreme rock, paper, scissors. Travis lost and grimaced as Connor drew his nails savagely down his hand. Piper was stood by the door, absentmindedly polishing her knife, Katoptris, with the edge of her cloak while staring off into the distance. To be honest, my whole army looked bored out of their demigod minds.

The Romans however seemed to find our bad posture and disorder very entertaining. Several of the Romans stared with various disapproving expressions at Will Solace as he hummed along to his Ukulele. Apparently music is not acceptable in the Senate. I'd already tried getting my Greeks in order but it was way harder said than done.

Percy was sat next to me. I was still worried about earlier, it isn't normal for even a demi-god to glow like that. He'd said it was to do with his curse, but why did it happen then. Percy's eyes were burning into the back of the scrawny kid talking to Reyna.

"Who is that guy?" I muttered to Percy.

He had obviously been deep in thought because he jumped and went "Uh wa?"

I pointed at the scrawny kid as discreetly as possible, "Who is he?"

"That," Percy huffed, "is Octavian, legacy of Apollo."

"Dangerous?" I asked. I had a bad feeling about him.

"Yes," Percy nodded, "but not dangerous in a physical sense. He's good with words. He knows how deal them to make people agree with him. He wanted the Praetorship, so naturally he doesn't like me much."

"Why is it always the powerful people you annoy?" I sighed in an exasperated fashion.

"Occupational hazard," Percy shrugged.

"Quite," I agreed.

Reyna hissed one last thing at Octavian, before making her way to her throne. Octavian sat back in his seat with a pout.

"Children of Rome and Athens," Reyna declared, the Senate fell into silence, "we have been brought together for a divine purpose. Though we have thought these Greeks our enemies in the past, it is necessary to our survival and the survival of our gods that we put past conflicts aside."

"Necessary?" I interrupted, standing up with an offended expression.

"Please sit Praetor; we have much to go through." Reyna motioned for me to sit.

"Strategos," I said.

"Excuse me?" Reyna frowned, hands folded.

"Strategos Chase, I'm a Greek general, Strategos is my title." I answered.

"Well then Strategos Chase, could you please take your seat." I couldn't detect if she was being sarcastic or not.

"I'm afraid not, I have something to say before we start, if you please. I find it only fair as the leader of the Greek Captains."

"I can't …" Reyna was obviously not used to being interrupted in this way.

"I'll make it quick," I encouraged.

Reyna sighed, "You have three minutes, use them wisely."

I placed my helmet under my arm and strode to the front of the Senate. My armour clanking a little was the only sound as I walked. All but a few Romans glared at me like I was dust on their recently polished, legion sandals.

"I know you Romans don't think much of the Greeks," I announced, "and when you do think of us you think us weak, senile, unorthodox. But that is based on the days of war between our two great civilisations. The days of unrest."

A few Romans snorted at the idea of Greece being thought of as great.

"Do not laugh. Rome conquered many, yes, but the Greeks created much. Do not forget, Mount Olympus in Greece was the birthplace of the gods. You think of us as uncivilised, but Athens is known as the birthplace of democracy. Greece was the origin of Medicine, The Syllogism, The anchor, Coin money, Maps, History, Geometry, Philosophy, Central heating, the Thermometer, Rhetoric." I breathed deep, "You Romans may have fought a lot, but we Greeks thought a lot."

I looked at Percy, pride gleamed in his eyes. Oh, how I had missed those eyes. They were, if possible an even more exquisite, spirited and brilliant green than before. His dark hair was even longer and wilder. He was taller and more muscular now. The boy in my memories had grown to be the man in my dreams.

"Annabeth is right," Percy stood, nodding, "do not underestimate us. If we go into this alliance thinking of each other as inferior, it will fall apart. We need to find equal ground."

"We need to become one force; correspondent and unyielding." I finished. A few Romans seemed hesitant, but most nodded in an understanding way. Guess which was the only one that sneered?

Leo started to clap enthusiastically, before realising that no one else was, and putting his hands in his lap with an awkward expression.

"Well spoken, Strategos Chase." Reyna smiled a new tone of respect in her voice.

"I think Annabeth has got the right idea," A curly haired guy smiled, a Kool Aid stained smile.

"Thank you Dakota," I acknowledged the son of Bacchus, who had introduced himself earlier.

"I second Annabeth's vision; it is the right way to go." Jason stood a little straighter. I had hardly noticed his presence; he was standing by the huge double doors that lead into the Senate house. Like, he wasn't sure where he was meant to sit anymore. Piper was stood loyally next to him.

"Well, I think it's an appalling idea." Octavian stood, "Greeks aren't as strong or smart as Romans; they should clearly have less influence in military decisions."

"I would like to remind you _Octavian_ that it was with the help of a Greek that Rome won the battle against Polybotes." Percy growled.

"Perhaps, but it is clearly shown in history that the Greeks lack military prowess." Octavian simpered, deliberately annoying Percy, who was shaking slightly with anger.

"Says you," I said, my teeth clenched, "I'm a daughter of Athena, goddess of wisdom and war. I know how to lead an army to victory. As Percy said, 'Do not underestimate us.' While you Romans were winning the battle against the Titan Krios, we were successfully defending Olympus. Percy opposed Lord Kronos himself. And Kronos was by far not the first Titan Percy had ever faced."

"But did he win?" Octavian teased.

"Yes," Percy began as he walked to the front, all eyes following him, "I won, obviously. There were fatalities, injuries, good heroes lost, not just on our side, but the opposing one as well. But we won in the end."

"Yeah," Connor said, "Percy's the best hero we've got. You've seen him fight, he's a beast."

"And he got offered immortality." Travis added.

"Exactly, he's the man," Connor nodded, gesturing with his hands.

"I will speak for the Greeks," Jason called, "They've been good to me, I feel like I've found another family." Jason glanced at Piper, but I don't think anyone but I noticed.

"I have heard many tales of Percy Jackson, He is a trustworthy and … intrepid ally." Jason smiled.

"Thanks guys," Percy grinned, his eyes flickered down to my hand, slipping his fingers into mine, "but I had a lot of help." Percy squeezed my hand.

Octavian shook his solemn head, "I still believe …"

"Oh, be quiet Octavian," Reyna sighed, "I am willing to trust the Greeks, and I want you to trust my judgment." Octavian pursed his lips and reluctantly sat.

"So, down to business then?" Jason asked.

**Sorry this took so long, I really am, I just couldn't get it straight in my head. It's here now though.**


End file.
